The report from the Court of Auditors has just concluded that the TGV is not profitable in France. It particularly indicates that traffic estimates were overstated and that the costs are exorbitant.
The Mobility 21 Commission, followed by the Ayrault government, have prioritized the New Line PACA. Could this report from the Court of Auditors call into question the project for this new high-speed line between Nice and Marseille?
Patrick Allemand, the First Vice President of the PACA Region, disputes this analysis:
“I remind you that President Michel Vauzelle had received the Mobility 21 Commission in 2012, which made an exceptional visit to the field in Marseille and Nice.
All the experts agree that this would be one of the most frequented lines, if not the most frequented. But it is not limited to the goal of connecting two of the five largest metropolitan areas in France in less than two hours.
It is all the more necessary because the current regional network can no longer absorb additional TER and it is part of the broader Mediterranean arc between Genoa and Barcelona, and should not be the missing link. This structuring line is an essential element for rebalancing Europe towards the south.”
Regarding financial difficulties, the socialist official reminds that they have been measured since the project has been phased: it will begin around 2023 with both ends, Marseille-Saint-Charles and the entrance to Nice.
Finally, Patrick Allemand makes a bipartisan call: “All republican officials must unite to reaffirm our common will and defend this New Line PACA because it is crucial for our future.”
To be continued…
